Fixed wing aircraft and rotorcraft include wings that provide lift and facilitate controlled flight of the air vehicle. For example, a fixed wing aircraft generally includes two or more wings that extend laterally outward from the fuselage. As another example, a rotorcraft includes a plurality of blades, each of which constitutes a wing.
By controlling the flow of air over a surface of a wing, such as the upper surface of a wing, the aerodynamic performance of the air vehicle may be at least partially controlled. By way of example, some wings include a wedge, such as a fixed wedge or movable flap attached, such as by an adhesive, to a surface of the wing. For example, a wedge may be attached proximate the trailing edge of a wing. The wedge may alter the flow of air over the surface of the wing and, as such, may affect the aerodynamic performance of the air vehicle.
In some instances in which the wedge is embodied as a moveable flap, the flap may be controllably positioned so as to change the flow of air across the surface of the wing and, in turn, to alter the aerodynamic performance of the air vehicle. However, moving flaps very quickly in order to alter the aerodynamic performance of the air vehicle in the desired manner takes significant energy and adds control system weight to the air vehicle generally commensurate to the desired speed of actuation.